Light aircraft with suspected Bolivian registration dropped 408 kg of drugs in Uruguay
An aircraft with alleged Bolivian registration dropped 408 kilos of cocaine and base paste over a rural property in Artigas. Seven Uruguayans were detained in "Operation Polux".
Operation Polux: light aircraft drops 408 kilos of drugs over Uruguayan countryside
A light aircraft with alleged Bolivian registration dropped 408 kilos of drugs over a rural property in the department of Artigas, in northern Uruguay, according to El Deber. The incident led to the detention of seven Uruguayan citizens and left at least one more person sought by the justice system.
The cargo, distributed in 12 bundles, contained approximately 305 kilos of high-purity cocaine and 103 kilos of base paste, according to Uruguay's Interior Ministry. The authorities valued the shipment at around 3 million dollars in the Uruguayan market and approximately 14 million dollars in the European market.
The aerial drop
On 3 September, investigators who were already monitoring a rural area near Baltasar Brum observed the aircraft flying over the sector. The light aircraft began dropping the bundles whilst several people waited on the ground to collect them. As an orientation signal for the pilot, two white sheets had been placed on the terrain, a method known as "bombardment".
Agents intervened immediately and succeeded in detaining members of the organisation before they completed the transfer of the cargo.
Months of prior intelligence
The operation, called 'Operation Polux', was the result of an investigation launched in February 2026 and coordinated by the General Directorate for Suppression of Illicit Drug Trafficking, with support from various police units and Uruguayan armed forces. The investigation made it possible to identify the Artigas area as the point of receipt for the cargo following several months of intelligence work.
In addition to the 408 kilos of drugs, the authorities seized six vehicles, a firearm, nine mobile telephones, communications equipment, a jet ski and 23 containers of aviation fuel. Subsequent raids expanded the investigation and made it possible to identify other suspected members of the criminal organisation.
The seven detainees, all Uruguayan nationals, have already been charged with offences related to drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit crimes and possession or carrying of weapons. Some were sent to preventive detention.
The Bolivian link, still unconfirmed
Among the main hypotheses of the investigation is that the drugs would be of Peruvian origin, whilst the aircraft could be carrying Bolivian registration. However, this information is subject to verification and does not imply, for the moment, that the cargo left Bolivian territory nor that confirmed Bolivian participation exists.
Uruguayan authorities are seeking to establish the route followed by the aircraft, its exact origin and the identity of those who took part in the flight. The investigation remains open to reconstruct the international chain behind the operation and confirm the identity of the aircraft through aeronautical expertise.
For Bolivia, the mention of the possible registration of the aircraft is relevant, although for now it remains as a hypothesis awaiting confirmation.
Source: El Deber